The Buchanan City Commission has voted to hire a new city manager and to move forward with a censure resolution against one of its members.
At a regular meeting on Monday, the commission voted to hire former Interim City Manager Tim Lynch to serve as manager. He served as the manager earlier this year, prior to the installment of former City Manager Benjamin Eldridge, who resigned about two weeks ago.
Commissioner Patrick Swem said Monday Lynch was well-liked by city staff and has agreed to come back.
“He could be here more and fill in and make an impact for at least a year,” Swem said. “There isn’t a timetable that ends in this contract. We’re going to treat it as if he’s the city manager going forward.”
Commissioners voted to complete a contract with Lynch. It could be renewed after a year.
Also Monday, they held a special meeting to consider a resolution of censure against Commissioner Dan Vigansky. Mayor Sean Denison read a list of charges against Vigansky. They included spreading confidential information about complaints involving former City Manager Eldridge.
“The mayor specifically instructed each commission member to keep the employee complaints confidential and that the complaints would be investigated by the city attorney,” Denison read. “Mr. Vigansky disregarded the confidentiality directive by producing the complaint to the city manager and releasing the complaint or a copy of the complaint to the public.”
Other charges allege Vigansky harassed city hall employees and used racist language at a Buchanan Area Recreation Board meeting, which has resulted in the filing of a complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.
Commissioners approved resolutions indicating Vigansky’s guilt on all charges, and the actual censure vote could happen at their next meeting.
